#15 Building My Author Brand (AKA Who Am I and What in the Fudge Nuggets Am I Even Trying To Do Here?)
So branding happens whether you plan for it or not. (Which is kind of rude, honestly.) If you don’t shape it yourself, other people will do it for you. And since I’d rather not have my brand accidentally become “that one tired, chronically ill author who literally never posts,” I decided it was time to be intentional about it.
This week, I worked through some key branding questions to figure out how I want to show up in the world—and more importantly, how to build a brand that actually connects with the readers I want to reach.
***Shoutout to From Book to Bestseller by Penny Sansevieri! It has some great chapters on author branding! Definitely recommend!
Why Does Branding Matter for Authors?
Your brand is how readers recognize you. It’s the feeling they get when they see your name, your books, or your social media.
A strong brand makes you:
Memorable – Readers recognize and remember you.
Relatable – Your audience feels connected to you.
Consistent – Everything from your website to your social posts feels cohesive.
Strategic – Branding helps target the right audience, not just any audience.
So… no pressure, right? 😅
What Even Is a Brand? And How Do You Build One?
When I first started thinking about my author brand, my brain immediately short-circuited. Brand? Like a logo? A color scheme? A tagline? Unfortunately for my brain (and yours maybe too, sorry!), it’s a lot more than that.
Your brand is how readers perceive you—it’s what they associate with your name and your books. Like Sleeping Beauty’s curse, it’s one big “invisible, magical force that controls everything behind the scenes.”
Questions to Ask When Defining Your Author Brand
Cue existential crises and panic… Just kidding! We gots this. Let’s take this one question at a time.
Some of these are easier to answer than others, and I’ll go into each of these in more depth in later posts, but to start off, think about:
What kind of books do I write?
My answer:YA contemporary fantasy with chronic illness rep, fairytale monsters, and humor.
Who am I writing for?
If you’ve already figured out your target audience when querying, great! You might already know who you’re aiming for as readers. For me, it’s:Chronically ill and disabled readers who want to see someone like them as the main character in a fantasy series
YA fantasy readers who are drawn to dark or monstrous themes but balanced out with humor
Fantasy fans who want unique perspectives and new takes on beloved tropes like:
Romance
Action
A double cross
Betrayal
Coming of age
Magical creatures
Powerful artefacts
No good choices
Mysterious things are happening
Deal with the devil (but make him fae)
High personal stakes
The ticking clock
First love
And more!
What values do I want my brand to reflect?
This one took some noodling. Try googling a list of brand values and see which ones stick out to you. Sites like https://lisafurze.com/blog/brand-values-list/ are helpful.
For my values, I chose:Accessibility, humor, uniqueness, kindness, representation, authenticity, imagination, and empowerment.
How do I want readers to feel when they interact with my brand?
Again, building off those values, brainstorm how you want someone to feel. I decided on:Seen, included, empowered, and entertained.
What visuals, colors, and aesthetics match my brand?
Uhhh. Full disclosure: I am not a visual person. If you’re one of those people that makes amazing mood boards for your books, I’m in awe of you! You’ll be great at choosing visuals for your brand. Just think about what images and colors you’d include for your brand’s mood board and go from there. If you’re like me, though, stay tuned and watch me struggle to define mine 😅. I do know I want:Accessible color palettes, fairytale aesthetics, and vibrant yet readable designs. It’s a start at least.
But try it out for yourself! How do your answers differ from mine? Whatever you put, it’s the beginning of the foundation of your author brand. Pretty neat, huh??
And don’t panic if it all feels a little wibbly still. It’s a work in progress. Your answers can change as you think through how you want the world to see you and your books. You just need something to start from so you can build from there.
Next Steps:
Finalize my brand voice (post coming soon!)
Research brand visuals and accessible colors (AKA how do I do the brand mood board thing???)
💬 What do you think?? If you’re an author, how do you want readers to describe your work or your author brand? How did you decide what visuals to use in all of your branding?? If you have tips, please HELP!